Twice Promised (The Blue Willow Brides Book #2): A Novel (23 page)

“Oh, wonderful. Then I can get started sewing the frock for Agnes.”

Zach pulled up a chair next to her and patted her hand. “If you’d been with me, this wouldn’t have happened.” He sounded so serious. It couldn’t be regret, not after she saw him in an intimate embrace with Cora. Was he feeling remorseful? Did he intend to marry her and yet still spend time with Cora?

Greta modestly folded her skirt back down to hide her ankle. “It’s just a small thing, Zach. Don’t worry about me. I’m sure you have more important things to occupy your mind than my little ol’ foot.”

Zach drew back. “You’ve been on my mind more than you know.”

I’m sure I have
, she thought.
Like how to tell me the truth.

Jess strode up the porch steps, the wrapped meat in his hands, keeping her from having to respond. Maybe she should have told Zach about the headstone, but if she asked about him and Cora kissing, then he would think she’d been spying. Now she wished she’d told Jess what she’d seen.

“Here’s a good cold steak,” Jess said, placing the meat on the table next to Greta’s chair.

Cora and Granny came bustling through the screen door. “Here we are, my little lamb,” Granny said. “You just sit still while Cora and I wrap your foot tightly.” She and Cora worked quietly, winding the bandage around her instep and ending right above the ankle, then tying it in place with strips of muslin. When she was satisfied it was secure, Granny nodded to Zach to place the cold steak on Greta’s foot.

“Now, I hope you know, Jess, that she’s not going to be able to work for a day or so. She shouldn’t be hobbling around on a swollen foot,” Granny said, her hands on her ample hips.

“Hmm . . . you’re right, of course. But I have more than enough help.” Jess leaned against the porch railing and folded his arms. Greta felt her face flush as his eyes honed in on her.

“I have a suggestion. Why don’t you let Greta rest her foot here for a few days? I’ll take good care of her. It’d be better than being at the hotel. What do ya say?” Granny cocked her head at Jess.

“Oh, I can’t be a burden to you, Granny!” Greta protested.

“Shh, you’ll be no such thing!” Granny turned back to Jess. “Well?”

“Seems logical to me.” Jess scratched his chin thoughtfully.

Granny smiled at Cora. “You’ll be able to have a few days alone too.”

Cora shrugged her shoulders. “It doesn’t matter to me. I enjoy the company, but if Greta needs to rest her foot, then this is the perfect solution.” Cora snuck a glance at Zach, who up to this point had said little, but the look didn’t go unnoticed by Greta.

“It’s settled then. You stay here with Granny. Caleb can fetch your things and run ’em over here,” Jess said.

Greta bolted up and the steak slid sideways, but Zach caught it and held it in place. “But I’ve got to work on Agnes’s dress!” she said.

“And you shall.” Granny spun around to Caleb and Zach. “I hate to do this to you boys, but you’re gonna have to unload that sewing machine. She can work on the dress while she’s with me.”

“I’ll collect the material and pattern pieces and give them to Caleb to bring with a change of clothing,” Cora added.

Zach and Caleb went back to unload the sewing machine while Granny fussed over Greta.

“I’m so grateful, Granny, but I hate to impose on you,” Greta said.

“Ha! Impose? I’ve never had anyone
impose
on me, I’ll tell you. If I didn’t ask ’em, then they weren’t invited, pure and simple!”

“Back in the parlor, Granny?” Zach asked, once he and Caleb were on the porch.

“Yes, please,” Granny said, holding the screen door open for them.

“Cora, I think we all better get on back so you can pack up a few things for Greta,” Jess said, then leaned down to speak to Greta. “Don’t let Granny boss you around. She tends to take matters into her own hands.”

Greta could feel his lips brush her hair as he spoke and was thrilled that he was so near, but outwardly she kept her composure.

Cora bent down to Greta. “You take it easy. If you want me to come over and help with the dress, I can. I know Jess can spare me.”

“I’ll help her cut out the dress. It’ll be my pleasure to do that.” Granny smiled at Cora as she saw them to the wagon, as though eager for her company to leave. Greta had to smile to herself and admire Granny’s take-charge ability. This could be an interesting few days . . .

22

Caleb was whittling on the edge of the steps, his head bent as he intently studied the piece of wood, when Jess finally found him. Rascal lay curled on top of his feet. “There you are! I came to see if you wanted to join me over at Mabel’s for an early supper.”

Caleb glanced up in surprise and stuffed the piece of wood and knife back into his pocket. “Sure, I’m not one to refuse a good meal.” He clomped down the steps, and the two of them headed down Main Street.

It was a superb day, Jess thought. Cloudless and with comfortable temperatures, but he knew it wouldn’t last too long. In high country, it could all change as fast as a jackrabbit could acquire relatives. He was already missing Greta around the store, and it seemed quieter somehow. He couldn’t help but notice that Cora seemed to sidestep him whenever he was near. Or was she just busier since Greta had left?

“You’re walking awful fast, Jess. Something on your mind?” Caleb huffed, trying to keep up with him.

“Yep. Got a few things on my mind lately, but right now my stomach is eating my backbone, and I’m looking forward to some of Mabel’s chicken-fried steak and gravy.”

“Where’d Zach get off to? I noticed him leave a little while ago, but he never said where.”

“He’s checking out some steers that he wants to buy for his little farmette. ’Course, he has no way of keeping them enclosed on his property, so the next thing you know we’ll be stretching some fence line.”

“I’ve done a little of that back home. I could help if he’d be willing to pay me.”

Jess glanced sideways at Caleb. “Well . . . that just might be a good thing for him and you, but I wouldn’t expect he’ll pay much. He’s just getting started on this dream of his, you know.”

“Everyone has dreams,” Caleb muttered barely above a whisper, but Jess heard him.

“Including you, Caleb. That’s what I want to talk to you about. But let’s eat first. We can talk over a piece of Mabel’s cheesecake.” They’d reached Mabel’s, and as soon as they entered her café, she greeted them cheerily.

“You boys want the specialty of the house, I take it?” Mabel beamed at them as they sat down.

“You know we do. Make sure you heap Caleb’s plate high—he’s got a hollow leg.” Jess removed his hat and placed it next to him on the bench. He nodded to Caleb to do likewise and heard Mabel’s humph.

“Coming right up then.” She lumbered off, shouting orders to the cook who she insisted was her right arm, though she did most of the cooking.

Jess waited until he and Caleb were finished eating and had ordered a slice of Mabel’s cheesecake before he broached the subject that was uppermost in his mind.

“Caleb, I’ve been impressed with how you’ve shown me what a hard worker you are. I know you don’t want to sleep on a cot in my kitchen for too long, so I wanted to talk to you about your future.” He watched as Caleb set his water glass down and shot a look at him.

“I have no place to go. I really don’t mind the cot. I’m
not
going back home.” Caleb’s jaw was set in a stubborn clinch. “But if you want me to find someplace else to live . . .” His voice trailed off.

Jess shook his head, suddenly realizing that Caleb wasn’t a confident young man. He hoped he could change his self-esteem. “No, nothing like that. I got to thinking how you said you enjoyed being around animals and even mentioned that you might like to be a doctor one day.” He paused to see if he was getting Caleb’s full attention, then continued. “Perhaps you would like to go to college and learn about working with animals. A friend of mine told me about the Agricultural College of Colorado at Fort Collins. You’d have to learn animal husbandry since they don’t have a veterinarian department yet, but the school is planning on offering that next year. Then you’d have all that knowledge under your belt. What do you say?”

Caleb stared at him like he’d grown two heads and wasn’t sure which one to speak to first. “How do you propose that I get the tuition for that?”

Jess scratched his day-old beard. He’d forgotten to shave this morning. “We’ll work on that. Do you think that your father would pay for part of it? You are still his son, after all.”

Caleb snorted. “I might be his son, but he won’t do it. Only if I said I’d take over the dairy farm—which I’ll remind you, I won’t.”

Mabel plunked down two slices of cheesecake garnished with her strawberry preserves and poured steaming coffee for them. When she saw they were having an intense conversation, she moved away to wait on her other customers.

“We’ll figure something out. I’ve requested an application for the fall, just in case you were interested, and have it right here in my pocket. We’ll know more about the cost once we send it back tomorrow. Meanwhile, you can continue to work for me and maybe Zach.” He watched as Caleb’s serious face took on a bright look, and the creases in his forehead relaxed.

“Wow! Why do you want to do this for me? Especially after I—”

Jess held up his hand. “Let’s just say that I had a younger brother who was bent on getting away from Central City. He did—but now I visit his grave.” Jess looked away from Caleb, astonished he’d blurted that out.

Caleb nearly choked on the cheesecake. Laying his fork aside, he said, “I’m sorry, Jess. I didn’t know. Do you mind telling me what happened to him?”

“Guess there’s no harm in that. It might help you understand just how short your life can be.” Jess went on to relate about his brother’s death, then his parents’. When he’d finished, Caleb just sat back in his chair and shook his head.

“So you see, that’s part of the reason I gave you a chance to redeem yourself when you robbed us. I knew you were still wet behind the ears. I don’t mind helping someone who
wants
to be helped.” Jess shoved his chair back and dug in his pocket to pay for the meal.

Caleb’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Gosh . . . thank you just the same. You and Miss Cora have been very kind to me. But you and Greta have been good to me too.” He winked at Jess.

Now what did he mean by that? “You’re welcome. But you have to promise me something.” Jess laid the bills on the table and grabbed his Stetson.

“Anything.” He smiled at Jess.

“I want you to write to your parents and at least tell them where you are and what you’re up to. Can you do that?” Jess was standing now, and he stared down at Caleb.

Caleb wiped his mouth on the napkin and pushed back his chair. “I can try, but I’m not promising nothin’!”

“That’s all I can ask. Come on, we’ve got customers to relieve Cora from, I’m sure.” He clapped Caleb across the shoulders, and they waved to Mabel across the room as they headed back to the store. For the first time, Caleb’s smile lingered.

Cora was tallying a customer’s order, Caleb was sweeping and straightening shelves, and Jess was just about to go upstairs to make himself a cup of coffee when the front door jangled. Harvey walked in with mail in one hand and a package in the other. Harvey had been friends with Jess’s parents and grieved right along with them when Bryan was killed, and he took it hard too.

“Howdy, Harvey! What brings you out this late? We’re about to close up shop.”

“I wanted to bring you this package personally, ’cause it has a return address of the US Army at Fort Bridger. Thought it might be important,” Harvey said as Jess took the package. “And this here is a letter for Miss Greta Olsen.”

Jess set the package on the counter, placing the letter on top. He noticed a Wyoming postmark in the upper left-hand corner. Greta’s sister, maybe? “You didn’t have to bring it over. I’d have made it over to the post office at some point this week. I guess I just keep forgetting.”

The gray-haired man’s eyes narrowed in amusement. “It’s no bother. How long have I known you?”

Jess grinned sheepishly. “I know, I know . . . me and my habits. Just the same, I appreciate it.”

Cora finished with her customer and walked over.

“Well, now, is this the pretty bride I hear you’re gonna marry?” Harvey asked.

“How’d you know?” Jess asked.

Harvey chuckled. “The whole town knows. News always spreads like wildfire.” He turned to take Cora’s hand and introduced himself. “Golly, I think you got lucky this time, Jess.”

Cora blushed, tilting her head up at the older man. “It’s nice to meet you, Harvey. I could be responsible for getting the mail for Jess. That is, if he’ll let me.” She glanced at him.

Jess shrugged. “Whatever you’d like.”

“Seems only right that your wife could do that little chore for you. So when’s the big day?” Harvey beamed at the two of them.

“Well, uh . . .” Jess shuffled his feet and Cora gazed down at the floor. “Not sure just yet, but we’ll let you know. It’ll probably be a short, simple ceremony. Maybe at the justice of the peace.”